Empire: Total War

 PC
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 3, 2009
Empire: Total War Image
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 62 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3167 Ratings

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  • Summary: Empire: Total War is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era that is the most requested by Total War’s loyal fan base and a period alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances. The game features themes such as the Industrial Revolution, America's struggle forEmpire: Total War is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era that is the most requested by Total War’s loyal fan base and a period alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances. The game features themes such as the Industrial Revolution, America's struggle for independence, the race to control Eastern trade routes and the globalisation of war on land and sea. Empire: Total War sees the debut of 3D naval combat within the Total War franchise. PC Gamers intuitively command vast fleets or single ships upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board taking control your men as they fight hand to hand on the decks. Empire: Total War also sees further enhancements to the Total War series signature 3D battles and turn based campaign map. Real time battles pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare. And the Campaign Map – for many the heart of Total War – will see new improved systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents, a refined and streamlined UI, improved Advisors and extended scope taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and the untapped potential of North America. [Sega]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 62
  3. Negative: 0 out of 62
  1. GameSpy
    100
    The simplified interface elements, great campaign, and much-improved map and information screens make this the most accessible Total War yet, and a great place for those unfamiliar with the series to get started.
  2. Multiplayer.it
    95
    Empire: Total War is a must buy for any strategy lover and in general for anyone who owns a PC. Creative Assembly has taken the best aspects of the Total War saga adding new ones that integrate perfectly in the gameplay and the result is a game with wonderfully deep strategy and tactics elements.
  3. InsideGamer.nl
    93
    This is the best Total War game thanks to all the little tweaks. Sometimes little differences make a good game great. The battles ask of you that you think more about your actions and managing your empire never was easier. The sea battles are fun to watch, but are a little hard to control. Nevertheless, Empire: Total War is a game that can make you forget about the time.
  4. BigPond GameArena
    90
    It takes a hard-line approach at strategy gaming and despite a few hiccups it conquers all those in its path. If it comes to a vote though, I say we go back to Rome and we fix that iffy AI.
  5. Edge Magazine
    90
    No other game takes on whole eras of combat with such a combination of respect and fetishism for the rules and wisdom of battle, and no series treats history like such a serious playground of possibilities, yet features such comic-book characters. [Apr 2009, p.114]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Play.tm
    88
    If you have the time and the dedication, Empire: Total War will shower you with gaming glory and riches.
  7. GamePro
    70
    Empire proves no different: It's a game that has great potential and with some extra tweaking, could have proven itself an excellent title. For now, Empire: Total War is a fine game, but one that has a heap of problems that need resolving before its worth any more of my time.

See all 62 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 334 out of 845
  2. Mixed: 193 out of 845
  3. Negative: 318 out of 845
  1. Ajdino
    Sep 28, 2012
    10
    Hey, how about a 2012 update, huh? I'm shocked at coming on Metacritic to see such low scores for a game I've owned for a long time now, thatHey, how about a 2012 update, huh? I'm shocked at coming on Metacritic to see such low scores for a game I've owned for a long time now, that I adore. There is NO bugs, some of these reviews are absolutely outdated and unreliable. In my opinion, this is the most playable of all the Total War games. The tech branches are much more expansive and really do progress as time goes on and the campaign was fantastic. I felt like I was rewriting my text books. It's also one of the more colorful TW games, because it covers such an active century of domination and war. Napoleon felt sort of like a plus 20 year map pack to this gem. This game is just as good as any other TW game, it really is a shame that people wrote hundreds and hundreds of reviews within the first couple of months of the games release, yet when the game is "Fixed" (Because I never played it when it was supposedly bugged) everyone just lose interest in lifting a finger for a new review. I'll simply put it this way, this game is worth every dollar, pound, or euro it costs.… Expand
  2. LukeM.
    Apr 25, 2009
    10
    Best Game Ever!!!!
  4. PaulR
    Jun 13, 2009
    9
    A really really good game, it's my first TW but I'd say it's the best strategy game I ever played, including EU, Civ, and A really really good game, it's my first TW but I'd say it's the best strategy game I ever played, including EU, Civ, and various RTS games. Tough the game could use a little more debugging and stability, it hurts not too much.… Expand
  5. JonathanC
    May 14, 2009
    6
    Behind the issues with Steam, CTD's, gliches there is a serious question mark over the playability of the game at the strategic level Behind the issues with Steam, CTD's, gliches there is a serious question mark over the playability of the game at the strategic level due to the complexity of what the game is trying to re-create. There are fantastic graphics and the naval battles are especially dramatic but the game is not for thefainthearted and irrational AI dilpomacy and behaviour on the battlefield marrs the experience. If you can pick up a cheap copy as I did then the game is worth playing for the battles alone, but be prepared for some throughtly annoying bugs and an unchallenging AI.… Expand
  6. TotalWarFan
    Feb 27, 2010
    4
    Though I love Total War games and believe that they are among the greatest games of any genre ever made, I can't say that I was Though I love Total War games and believe that they are among the greatest games of any genre ever made, I can't say that I was impressed. The battle graphics are horrible, especially when you zoom out, and the diplomacy is also terrible. The custom battle maps are also very bad, with the fact that there are barely any buildings, and the AI players are absolutely horrible! The campaign is fun, but Africa, South America, and at least parts of Central and Eastern Asia should be included. The unit detail is fairly good, but the men all look exactly the same; even the militias, Native Americans, and minutemen! Empire: Total War is okay but Medieval II: Total War is, without a doubt, the best video game ever made, and no one should ever make the mistake of comparing Empire to Medieval II or even Rome: Total War. I would give it a higher score because of the campaign, and even with all the problems it is a good game, but I must give Empire: Total War a 4 because it is a terrible game in comparison to the rest of The Creative Assembly's games. I only hope that Napoleon: Total War is better.… Expand
  7. TomL.
    Mar 23, 2009
    3
    At this time the game is generally unplayable because of a memory leak that causes the game to crash randomly. Many people have experianced At this time the game is generally unplayable because of a memory leak that causes the game to crash randomly. Many people have experianced this so far. Check the community forums for more details. If the game didn't crash it would be around the 9/10 mark.… Expand
  8. JamesB
    Mar 5, 2009
    0
    I loved the demo. I own all the other total war games, Unfortuneately, steam totally ruins this one. I have recieved multiple error messages I loved the demo. I own all the other total war games, Unfortuneately, steam totally ruins this one. I have recieved multiple error messages from Steam while just trying to install such that I haven't even been able to play the game yet. Steam's trouble shooting section on the web is very complex and lists hundreds of possible things that could be wrong. I had some difficulty with getting the demo to work and realized that I didn't want to buy the game via steam so I brought the box. Unfortuneately, you need steam to install and probably also to play! Don't buy this game unless this steam issue is resolved. By the way I sent a message to SEGA support two days ago. They sent me a acknowledgement email only so far. If I ran my business or treated my customers this way I would no longer jave a job. Total war and SEGA have bombed this one and all of you who are having the same problems as me should get your money back.… Expand

See all 845 User Reviews

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3
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6
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